The COVID-19 pandemic exposed failings in preparedness and response across the world and a shortfall in global health security. The crisis also highlighted shortcomings in global and regional legal frameworks, including the International Health Regulations (2005) and relevant European Union law, as well as in national public health legislation and emergency plans. Drawing lessons from the pandemic implies strengthening preparedness and response capacities at all levels, with special attention being paid to legal preparedness, a critical component of public health emergency preparedness. Improving legal capacities at country level is a strategic priority set by the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), which established a new Legal Preparedness Action Package (LP AP) in order to elevate the attention and importance of legal preparedness worldwide. Since 2021 the LPAP has been placed front and center in international efforts to bridge the legal preparedness gap at national level. In bringing together technical experts in global health law and government health policy officials from a broad range of countries and partners, the LP AP intends to set a foundation for legal preparedness by developing technical and capacity-building tools, legal guidelines, policy briefs, information and training. This paper aims to illustrate and contextualise the work of the GHSA LP AP and raise awareness about the importance of its contribution to enhance global health security. It also highlight how its work promotes and develops synergies with parallel initiatives, processes and tools, facilitates regime interaction and harmonization of technical tools, and ultimately ensures consistency of action, methodology and approaches.
Strengthening legal preparedness and response within the global health emergency framework: the role of the GHSA Legal Preparedness Action Package
Stefania Negri
;Emanuele Cesta;
2024-01-01
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed failings in preparedness and response across the world and a shortfall in global health security. The crisis also highlighted shortcomings in global and regional legal frameworks, including the International Health Regulations (2005) and relevant European Union law, as well as in national public health legislation and emergency plans. Drawing lessons from the pandemic implies strengthening preparedness and response capacities at all levels, with special attention being paid to legal preparedness, a critical component of public health emergency preparedness. Improving legal capacities at country level is a strategic priority set by the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), which established a new Legal Preparedness Action Package (LP AP) in order to elevate the attention and importance of legal preparedness worldwide. Since 2021 the LPAP has been placed front and center in international efforts to bridge the legal preparedness gap at national level. In bringing together technical experts in global health law and government health policy officials from a broad range of countries and partners, the LP AP intends to set a foundation for legal preparedness by developing technical and capacity-building tools, legal guidelines, policy briefs, information and training. This paper aims to illustrate and contextualise the work of the GHSA LP AP and raise awareness about the importance of its contribution to enhance global health security. It also highlight how its work promotes and develops synergies with parallel initiatives, processes and tools, facilitates regime interaction and harmonization of technical tools, and ultimately ensures consistency of action, methodology and approaches.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
